Tuesday Recipes

Where I'm sitting, I'm looking at a dreary-ish sky. It definitely looks like rain. Considering how much snow parts of the U.S. got this past winter, you're not going to hear me complain about the possibility of a little rain. If anything, it'll give me a chance to stay indoors and (maybe) get caught up so that I can get my Confessions of a Foodie blog out earlier in the day than I have in recent weeks.

On that note, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY HOT CROSS BUNS

This recipe comes from the FamilyTime newsletter. It starts off, "Put a little twist in your hot cross buns by adding dried cranberries!" Prep. time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 20; Serves: 12

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

18 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed

12 tablespoons dried cranberries

Frosting:

1 1/3 cups Powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 - 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

With scissors, cut 6 rolls in half. Press 1 1/2 rolls into a flat circle. Put 1 tablespoon of cranberries on roll and bring edges together, mixing berries into the bough. Shap into a round roll. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet. Repeat directions for additional rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Mix ingredients for frosting and frost rolls.

SPINANCH LASAGNA WITH MUSHROOM RAGU

This is from The Food Network. Total Time: 4 hr.; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 3 hr. 30 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spinach-lasagna-with-mushroom-ragu-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

For the ragu:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 portobello mushroom caps, chopped

1 1/2 pounds shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 28 -ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

3 bay leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For the lasagna:

3 ounces parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 pounds part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

8 ounces asiago cheese, shredded

2 pounds ricotta cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 pound frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

12 ounces dried lasagna noodles

Directions

Make the ragu: Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Chop; reserve the liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Add the portobello and shiitake mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are soft, 5 more minutes.

Add the porcini mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Add the reserved porcini liquid, bring to a boil and cook until reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water and the bay leaves; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the parsley and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring a few times, until thick, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You can make the ragu up to 1 day ahead; let cool, then cover and chill. Reheat before using.)

Make the lasagna filling: Mix the parmesan, mozzarella and asiago; set 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture aside. Combine the remaining cheese mixture in a large bowl with the ricotta, eggs, spinach, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water; shake off the excess water.

Spread 1 cup of the ragu in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add a layer of noodles, then half of the spinach mixture and 2 cups ragu. Repeat with another layer of noodles, spinach mixture and ragu. Top with the remaining noodles and ragu and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Cover with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 25 more minutes. Let rest before serving.

SLOPPY JOES

This comes from The Healing Heart Foundation website. Click the Recipes link on the left-hand side of the home page to find more yummy recipes. This one starts off, "You'd never know it's meatless." Serves 6

1 large onion, chopped

1 to 2 C celery, chopped

1 t balsamic vinegar (other vinegar can be used)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 t dried minced garlic or garlic powder)

1 T chili powder (will not make it too hot)

2 T cumin

2 1/2 C tomato sauce (or a 6 oz can tomato paste + 1 C tomato juice + 1 C water)

1 T prepared yellow mustard

1 T ground dry mustard

1 T brown sugar

1 t black strap molasses

1 1/2 cups dry TVP granules

1 1/2 C boiling water

optional spicy version: 1 to 3 t hot sauce or roasted chilies

Saute onion and celery in balsamic vinegar and a little water on medium heat. Add more water if needed. Add garlic, peppers and spices and saute for a few more minutes. Add everything else and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over whole wheat buns, rice or pasta.

Adding a can of chili beans makes a very filling dish, changing it slightly to Sloppy Josés.

6 servings, each: Calories 152, Fat 1.85 g. (10% cff), Carbohydrate 19.86 g., Protein 17.44 g

CACCIATORE

This also comes from The Healing Heart Foundation website, and starts off, "A single-skillet quick and easy version of the old Italian favorite Hunters' Stew." It serves 6.

This recipe also comes with several Healing Heart Hints:

"This is the way hunters in old Italy prepared whatever game they found. It's just as delicious made with all vegetables, meat substitutes or low-fat tofu. If bean curd or seitan is not available, crumble in two or three fat-free Boca Burgers instead for a 'beef' flavored dish that meat-eaters will not know was vegetarian.

"Dried bean curd (thit chay) is available in many Asian food markets. It comes in many forms, but for this dish, chips are recommended. Be sure to read the labels, some brands of bean curd are high in fat, others contain no fat at all.

"Seitan is a meat substitute made from wheat gluten, a protein in wheat that can be boiled and baked with various spices to make it resemble almost any kind of meat or fish. Seitan can be prepared at home, or it can be bought already prepared, usually frozen, in many health food stores and some Asian food markets."

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 C seitan or bean curd

1 C mushrooms

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 sweet bell peppers, 1 green & 1 red, coarsely chopped

3 cloves of fresh garlic (or 1 t dried minced)

28-oz can chunky tomato sauce

1/3 C dry white wine or sherry

2 t dried oregano

2 t sweetener (succanat, sugar or substitute)

1/8 t freshly-ground pepper

1/2 t salt

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, celery, carrot, onion, peppers and garlic in balsamic vinegar until tender (add a small amount of water, if needed). Add tomato sauce, bean curd, wine, oregano, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta.

6 servings, each 164 calories: 6% from fat (0.6 g), 67% from carbohydrates (26.2 g), 30% from protein (12.2 g). Sodium 284 mg, Fiber 3.6 g.

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH AIOLI

This comes from Rebecca Franklin, About.com's French Food expert. She writes, "This roasted vegetables with aioli recipe makes an easy, elegant dish that can be served for a light lunch or a healthy dinner party. Take advantage of seasonal vegetables and the aioli variations listed below to make this Provencal specialty your own signature French recipe." Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Aioli:

8 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Roasted vegetables:

12 small golden flesh potatoes, peeled and halved

12 medium beets, peeled and quartered

24 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces

24 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Preparation

Bring water in a double-boiler pan to a simmer. Puree the crushed garlic, salt, and egg yolks in a blender. Scrape contents of blender into the top of double boiler and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture tests 160F on an instant-read thermometer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, set the mixture aside and allow it to cool to room temperature. Pour oil into the garlic mixture in a slow, steady stream, while whisking constantly. Season the aioli with the black pepper and chill the mixture until serving time.

Heat the oven to 400F. Toss the prepared vegetables with the olive oil. Arrange the potatoes and beets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and the carrots and asparagus on another. Roast the asparagus for 18 minutes, the carrots for 25 to 30 minutes, and the potatoes and beets for 35 to 40 minutes.

Arrange the roasted vegetables on a serving platter and season them with salt and pepper. Garnish the platter with the hard-boiled eggs and serve immediately.

Aioli Variations:

Tangerine Aioli: Prepare the aioli according to the instructions, adding 1 tablespoon of fresh tangerine zest to the ingredients in the blender.

Caper Dill Aioli: Prepare the aioli according to the instructions, adding 2 teaspoons of fresh, chopped dill and 2 tablespoons of drained capers when whisking in the oil.

Creole Aioli: Prepare the aioli according to the instructions; substitute 1 teaspoon of Creole seasoning for the salt and substitute 1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard for 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

CHICKEN VEGETABLE SKILLET

This comes from Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks expert. She writes, "This easy and colorful one dish skillet recipe tastes like spring; plus it only uses five ingredients!" Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes; Total time: 25 minutes; serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1 onion, chopped

9 oz. pkg. frozen asparagus cuts, thawed

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing

Preparations

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except salad dressing; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Then add salad dressing, bring to a boil, cook for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked, stir well and serve.